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Return to the Lakers? Westbrook and James are expected to join forces again, and the Lakers upgrade to the backcourt defense

11:23pm, 6 July 2025Basketball

According to NBA famous reporter Chris Haynes, the team's backcourt lineup was close to saturation because the Kings did not successfully send the team's inner defender Monk to the Pistons. For this reason, Westbrook will most likely not go to the Kings and look for another team. The Lakers are a potentially promising target.

Although Westbrook's previous career in the Lakers was not smooth, his adaptability to James was not high. The performance during this period did not meet the expectations of fans, but Westbrook is no longer the Westbrook's previous role, and its role positioning is very different from before.

In the Nuggets, Westbrook has played as a guest substitute number four, protecting rebounds and midfield support, plus several three-pointers in the bottom corner. Last season, he averaged 13.3 points, 4.9 rebounds and 6.1 assists, making him the sixth man. There have also been many key performances against the Clippers in the playoffs.

Currently, the Lakers' defensive strength has declined a lot due to Finney Smith's departure. So it is not impossible to choose to add Westbrook as the backcourt defense now. Moreover, after running-in before, James also knew how to play better with Westbrook.

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